Paddle mechanism for vessels.



W. H. WITTE.

PADDLE MECHANISM FOB. VESSELS.

5 8HEET8BHEET 1.

IN VE N TOR WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS COLUMIHA I'LANOGRAPH C0.,WASHINOTON,D. c.

W. H. WITTE.

PADDLE MECHANISM FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 2, 1911.

1,034, 1 79. Patented July 30, 1912.

5 SHEETSEHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CLL, WASHINGTON, n. cy

W. H. WITTE.

PADDLE MECHANISM FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 2, 1911. 1 ,034,1 79. Patented July 30, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEYS W. H. WITTE.

PADDLE MECHANISM FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1911. 1,034, 1 79. Patented July 30, 1912.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

7' K l/VVEIVLOR MY/ZMWMW v ATTORNEYS WITNE88E8 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'H COHWASNINUTDN, 0v 2.

W. H. WITTB.

PADDLE MECHANISM FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2, 1911.

Patented July 30, 1912.

o o 2 Q R Q IIVVENTOR WITNESSES: a fir m WZZnw/WWZ kk a o 0 W7 $6 5 a: O O ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY WIT'IE, OF BALTILIORE, MARYLAND.

PADDLE MECHANISM FOR VESSEL-S.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. \VITTE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented a new and Improved Paddle Mechanisni for Vessels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide a mechanism of the character named adapted for propulsion in shallow streams and wherein the operation is simple, eflicient and durable; to provide means for reversing, arresting and suspending the operation of the paddles of the propelling mechanism to operate at various depths or to suspend the propulsive operation without stopping the machinery; and to provide a novel, simple and etlicient means for preventing the intlow of water through the joints or openings in the paddle box.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken on the median line, of the after part of a vessel having applied thereto a paddle mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. is a plan view of the same, the propeller box being partly in section to discover the arrangement therein; Fig. 3 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale and in vertical section, taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line -14- in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of a structure embodying the present invention; and Fig. 6 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale and in vertical section, taken on. the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

The present invention relates to improvements upon a similar device disclosed in a Patent No. 516,419, dated March 13, 1894, for Means for the propulsion of vessels and also to an application for patent filed September 9, numbered 581,162, to which patent and application cross reference is here made.

A distinctive feature of difference between the structure disclosed in the patents referred to and that which is disclosed in the present application consists in the disposi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 2, 1911.

Patented July 30, 1912.

Serial No. 611,808.

tion of the paddle box and the consequent alteration and change in the mechanism therein.

As seen in the accompanying drawings, the paddles 11 are separated, and reciprocated in a paddle house 12 which is extended from the deck of the vessel A outward over the water at the stern thereof. The house 12 is provided with solid walls on the four vertical sides and at the top, being, however, open at the bottom except for a central platform 13. The plat-form 13 forms one side of the paths of the sliding carriages 14. The carriages 14 are extended within grooves 15 formed at the edges of the platform 13 and at the side rails 10. The side rails 16 and the edges of the platform 13 thus constitute a runway and guide for the paddles 11. The carriages 1 1 are provided with longitudinal openings or slots to guide the paddles 11 as the same are elevated or depressed, as hereinafter set forth. Supported upon the carriages 11 are guide rods 17 which extend through and form guides for the lift of the head plates 18. It is to the head plates 18 that the paddles 11 are securely fastened. Between the plates 18 and the upper surface of the carriages 14 are disposed a series of heavy coiled springs 19, the normal action of which is to assist in lifting the plates 18 and paddies connected therewith to the upper end of the rods 17 so as to raise the paddles to clear the water in which the vessel A is floated.

Mounted on the platform 13 are two fluid pressure operated cylinders The cylinders 20 are supplied with pressure fluid by means of a pipe 21. The source of supply of the steam, compressed air or other fluid employed for reciprocating the piston and piston rod 22 of each of the said cylinders is not herein shown. The same may be constructed and disposed in any suitable manner and location. It is sullicient in this connection to state that by means of a lever 23 and connecting rod 24, and the link action 25, the controlling valve for delivering the steam or other fluid above or below the piston in each of the cylinders 20 is controlled in a manner common to constructions of this character.

It will be understood that the operation of the cylinders is relatively reversed. That is to say, when the piston rod 22 in one cylinder is lifted the piston rod 22 in the other cylinder is depressed. The operation of the two rods in this manner transpires at the end of the stroke of the crank rods and pitmen connecting the carriages 14 with the crank shaft of the driving engine of the vessel. In this manner there is insured that at the inner end of the stroke of the crank rod of the driving engine the paddle on the one side is lowered to be thrust rearward from the vessel to propel the same, while simultaneously with the lowering of the paddle at the end of the stroke nearest the vessel the paddle on the opposite side of the house 12 is lifted from the water to be retracted toward the vessel as the other of said paddles is moved away from the vessel. It to aid the action of the cylinders 20 that the springs 19 are provided.

The plates 18 and paddles connected therewith are lifted by means of guide rods 26. The rods 26 are lixedly secured to uprights 27 of the lifting frame of which the framing member 28 is the top member. Each men'lber 28 is connected by means of an arm 29 to the piston rods 22 mounted in the cylinders 20. The piston rods in the cylin ders 20 are, as above stated, reciprocated simultaneously in opposite directions, the frames formed by the uprights 27 and the framing members 28 being raised and lowered in unison therewith. The uprights 27 are provided with hollow cylinder guide standards 30 located at each end of the house 12 and at the limit of the path of the carriages 14.

When paddles and operating mechanism constructed as thus described are connected to the pitman rods 31 by means of a sliding rod 32, which rod 32 is secured to a carriage 14 by a bracket bearing 83, the same are raised to reciprocate in unison with the said pitman rods 31, the carriages 14 operating in the grooves 15 and the rods 32 being guided in the bearing 33 of the standard 34:, as best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The link rods 35 are connected by means of cocentric collars 36 with the driving shaft between the cranks 37. The cranks 87 are extended in opposite arrangement from the driving shafts 38. The shafts 38 are mounted in A-frames 39 securely bolted to the structure of the vessel A, and are driven by the pistons 40 which are reciprocated in cylinders 41. The cylinders 41 are suspended on trunnions 42 mounted in bearings on the A-frames 43 bolted to the vessel structure. The valves for operating the pistons in the cylinders 41 are controlled by the transmission gear wheel connected with the transmission shaft 44. This gearing may be of any suitable construction, that shown in the patents above referred to being preferred by me. The cylinders 41 are supplied through the valves with expansion fluid of any suitable type by means of a supply pipe 45.

In the modified form of the invention shown in F and (3 of the drawings the runways of the carriages 11 are disposed at the side of the vessel instead of at the stern as shown in the other figures of the drawings. The paddle house 46 in this form overhangs the side of the vessel and one continuous runway is formed lengthwise herein. in the same runway the carriages 14 are mounted in guides formed in the standing structure similar in arrangement and construction to that described as referring to the house 12. The cylinders 20 are each disposed midway of the swing of each of the carriages 14, which swing is approximately one-half of the total runway, as seen best in Fig. of the drawings. The pistons of the cylinders 20 in this form of construction are connected with the members 47 which are guidediy mounted in guide standards 48. The standards 48 are disposed substantially as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings at the side of the runway to lift the plates 18 in a manner similar to that described with referei'ice to the members 28. In this form of the construction the cranks 49 are each pivotally mounted in A-frames 50, separated as shown in l ig. 5, and mounted on shafts 51, which shafts are ro tated through bevel transi'nission gear wheels 52. one of each pair being mounted on a crank shaft 53. The crank shafts 53 are driven by rocking cylinders 54, similar in operation and cmistruction to those shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

llt will be understood that with a pro polling mechanism constructed and arranged as above described the draft of the vessel may be regulated to suit the conditions for operation of the same. The depth to which the paddles are extended may be regulated and controlled by means of any suitable valve mechanism which will limit the amount of expansive fluid delivered to the cylinders 20.

Vhile in the accompanying drawings, and particularly in Fig. 1, the controlling station for handling the lever 23 and the rod 24 is shown as adjacent the engines for operating the driving shafts 38, it is obvious this station may be changed and that the rod 24 may be manipulated from the pilot house or other controlling station, thus placing it within the power of the pilot or navigating oflicer to suspend or reverse the operation of the paddles 11. It is equally obvious that the control in amount of expansive fluid delivered to the cylinders 20 through the pipe 21 may be regulated to lift and lower the paddles to an extent less than the full limit of the stroke of the piston rod 22.

By means of the construction wherein the houses 12 and 46 are fully inclosed at the top and sides, it will be seen that the inrush of water due to accidental submerging of the part of the vessel carrying the paddles would be prevented by reason of the air which is trapped in the said houses keeping the water out of the said houses. The houses 12 and 46 are both closed on the inboard side of the houses by partitions substantially air tight having openings formed therein for the passage of the operating shafts and rods.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive the partition 55 is close fitted about the standards 34, while in Fig. 5 the partition 56 is close fitted about the shafts 53 and the shafts 57. Under ordinary'conditions it is not necessary to use stufling boxes where the shafts and rods pass through the partitions 55 or 56, but if it is deemed wise such may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1- 1. A paddle mechanism for vessels, comprising a plurality of box-like overhanging structures extended from the sides of said vessel, said structures having substantially air tight top and sides to prevent the rise of water Within said structures; a plurality of tracks mounted lengthwise of said struc tures; a plurality of paddles reciprocatively mounted on said tracks; means for raising and lowering vertically said paddles out of and into the water at the end of the reciprocated path of said paddles; a plurality of cranks operatively connected with said paddles to reciprocate the same; and a driving mechanism for rotating said cranks.

2. A paddle mechanism for Vessels, comprising a vertically-disposed paddle blade; an overhanging box-like housing for said blade, said housing having restricted openings therein to form substantially air-trapping members; a reciprocating mechanism for said paddle; and means connected with said reciprocating mechanism for lifting said paddle out of the water on one of the strokes of said paddle.

3. A paddle mechanism for vessels, comprising a vertically-disposed paddle blade; an overhanging box-like housing for said blade, said housing having restricted openings therein to form substantially air-trapping members; a prime mover operatively connected with said paddle to reciprocate the same, said prime mover having a driving shaft; and an elevating mechanism operatively connected with said paddle to elevate and lower the same, said elevating mechanism being operatively connected with said driving shaft to be operated thereby.

4. A paddle mechanism for vessels, comprising a vertically-disposed paddle blade; an overhanging box-like housing for said blade, said housing having restricted open ings therein to form substantially air-trapping members; a prime mover having a horizontal driving shaft; a transmission mecha nism operatively connecting said shaft and said paddle, for. reciprocating the same; a steam cylinder elevator for raising and lowering said paddle, said cylinder having valve-controlled inlet and exhaust ports; and a manually operative controlling mechanism to vary the movement and time of operation of the valve in said cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY WITTE.

Witnesses:

WM. A. MANSLEBEN, HENRY MANKEY, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

